Citibank vs. Ufb Direct
High-Yield Savings Account Comparison
By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: November 12, 2025
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Summary of Citibank vs. UFB Direct
Key Metrics at a Glance
| Feature | Citibank | UFB Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Top Savings APY | 3.35% Citi Accelerate Savings | 3.71% UFB Checking and Savings Bundle |
| Minimum to Open | $0 | $5000 |
| Minimum Balance for Top APY | $0.01 | $10,000 |
| Note | The regular savings or money market APY may be boosted up to 3.71% by direct deposits, minimum balance of $10,000 and making 10 approved debit card transactions per statement cycle. See bank for full details. |
Citibank
Strengths
- Citi Accelerate Savings has a competitive APY of 3.35%, slightly down from 3.40% last month.
- Citi Accelerate Savings does not require direct deposit for the APY.
- Citi's App Store rating is high at 4.9.
Potential Drawbacks
- Citi has a low BBB rating of D- and is not BBB Accredited.
- Citi Accelerate Savings has a maintenance fee of $4.50 unless balance requirements are met.
- Citi's Google Play rating is lower at 4.8.
UFB Direct
Strengths
- UFB Direct offers a higher APY of 3.71%, though it decreased from 3.96% last month.
- UFB Direct has a strong BBB rating of A+ and is BBB Accredited.
- UFB Portfolio Savings has no maintenance fees and no minimum balance requirements.
Potential Drawbacks
- UFB Direct requires a minimum deposit of $5,000 for its high-yield account.
- The UFB Checking and Savings Bundle requires direct deposit to achieve the highest APY.
- UFB's Google Play rating is lower at 4.4.
→ As of November 12, 2025 Citibank offers an APY of 3.35% for its Citi Accelerate Savings account, with a minimum balance of $0.01, compared to UFB Direct's 3.71% APY for its UFB Checking and Savings Bundle account, with a minimum balance of $10,000.
→ UFB Direct yields $36 more than Citibank on a $10,000 balance after one year. Citibank pays $335, while UFB Direct pays $371 - an APY advantage for UFB Direct.
→ In addition, Citibank also offers 0.03% APY for the Citi® Savings Account account, while UFB Direct offers 3.51% APY for the UFB Portfolio Savings account.
Calculate Savings Growth for Citibank vs UFB Direct
Citibank - Citi Accelerate Savings
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,018.8 (10.08%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.94%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.98%)
Your total balance
$20,018.80
Total balance: $20,018.8
Earnings: $2,018.8
Bank OverviewUFB Direct - UFB Checking and Savings Bundle
⚠️The higher APY only applies once your balance reaches $10,000.
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,218.7 (10.97%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.30%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.73%)
Your total balance
$20,218.70
Total balance: $20,218.7
Earnings: $2,218.7
With a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, Citibank's total earnings would be $199.9 lower than UFB Direct's total earnings.
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
Compare Citibank's vs UFB Direct's Savings Accounts
| Citibank | UFB Direct | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Citi Accelerate Savings | Citi® Savings Account | vs | UFB Portfolio Savings | UFB Checking and Savings Bundle |
| APY | 3.35% (as of 11/12/2025) | 0.03% (as of 11/12/2025) | 3.51% (as of 11/12/2025) | 3.51% - 3.71% (as of 11/12/2025) | |
| Bundled Account | No | No | No | No | |
| FDIC-insured | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Online Only | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily | Daily | Daily | |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5000 | |
| Minimum Balance for APY | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0 | $10,000 | |
| Maintenance Fee | $4.50. Waived for average monthly balances > $500 | $4.50. Waived for average monthly balances > $500 | $0 | $0 | |
| Direct Deposit Required | No | No | No | Yes | |
| Eligibility | Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida (select parts), Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois (select parts), Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia (partial), Washington (partial), Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming. | California, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Virginia (partial), Washington D.C., and select parts of Florida and Illinois. In addition, promotional rates may be available if requirements are met. | United States | United States | |
| Note | The regular savings or money market APY may be boosted up to 3.71% by direct deposits, minimum balance of $10,000 and making 10 approved debit card transactions per statement cycle. See bank for full details. | ||||
| Sponsored Link | LEARN MORE at UFB Direct, Member FDIC | LEARN MORE at UFB Direct, Member FDIC | |||
| App Store Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.8/5 | |||
| Google Play Rating | 4.8/5 | 4.4/5 | |||
| BBB Rating | D- | A+ | |||
Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 9 Months)
| Citibank | UFB Direct | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Citi® Savings Account | Citi Accelerate Savings | vs | UFB Checking and Savings Bundle | UFB Portfolio Savings |
| Latest APY | 0.03 % | 3.35 % | 3.71 % | 3.51 % | |
| Trend | Sideways | Sideways | Sideways | Sideways | |
| Slope (bps/mo) | 0.0 | -4.8 | -3.6 | -3.2 | |
| Rate Changes / Mo | 0.00 | 0.52 | 0.31 | 0.31 | |
| Days Since Last Change | 289 | 9 | 14 | 14 | |
| High (-9 m) | 0.03 % | 3.80 % | 4.21 % | 4.01 % | |
| Low (-9 m) | 0.03 % | 3.35 % | 3.71 % | 3.51 % | |
| Draw-down from High | 0.0 % | -11.8 % | -11.9 % | -12.5 % | |
| Volatility (CV) | 0.000 | 0.039 | 0.035 | 0.036 | |
APY Insights Glossary
- Latest APY
- Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
- Trend
- Direction over the last 9 months (regression slope).
- Slope (bps/mo)
- Average monthly change; 10 bps = 0.10 pp.
- Rate Changes / Mo
- Typical number of APY moves per month.
- Days Since Last Change
- Recency of the latest APY adjustment.
- High (-9 m)
- Highest APY in the last 289 days.
- Low (-9 m)
- Lowest APY in the last 289 days.
- Draw-down from High
- How far today sits below the 9-month peak.
- Volatility (CV)
- Coefficient of variation = stdev ÷ mean.
Why Track Savings-Account APYs?
- See how quickly a bank reacts to Fed moves or competition.
- Gauge “twitchiness” - frequent moves can annoy savers.
- Spot if you're buying near a peak (draw-down) or riding a rise.
- Slope (bps/mo) shows speed of change.
- Volatility (CV) scales jumps by average level.